79-808.

Teachers and administrators; certificates and permits; requirements; board; duties; advisory committees; expenses.

(1) The board shall establish, adopt, and promulgate appropriate rules, regulations, and procedures governing the issuance, renewal, conversion, suspension, and revocation of certificates and permits to teach, provide special services, and administer based upon (a) earned college credit in humanities, social and natural sciences, mathematics, or career and technical education, (b) earned college credit, or its equivalent in professional education, for particular teaching, special services, or administrative assignments, (c) criminal history record information if the applicant has not been a continuous Nebraska resident for five years immediately preceding application for the first issuance of a certificate, (d) human relations training, (e) successful teaching, administration, or provision of special services, and (f) moral, mental, and physical fitness for teaching, all in accordance with sound educational practices. Such rules, regulations, and procedures shall also provide for endorsement requirements to indicate areas of specialization on such certificates and permits. Such rules and regulations shall not require any test of basic skills.

(2) The board may issue a temporary certificate, valid for a period not to exceed two years, to any applicant for certification who has not completed the human relations training requirement.

(3) Members of any advisory committee established by the board to assist the board in teacher education and certification matters shall be reimbursed for expenses as provided in sections 81-1174 to 81-1177. Each school district which has an employee who serves as a member of such committee and which is required to hire a person to replace such member during the member's attendance at meetings or activities of the committee or any subcommittee thereof shall be reimbursed from the Certification Fund for the expense it incurs from hiring a replacement. School districts may excuse employees who serve on such advisory committees from certain duties which conflict with any advisory committee duties.